The Rugby gazette and east Tennessee news. (Rugby, Morgan Co., Tenn.) 1884-188?, 1887-03-12

say, will settle the whole matter He is an
especial favorite with the Pope, and his ad
vice as to the treatment of any matter in
which the United States is concerned will,
it is declared, be taken as it is given.
In addition, Bishop Keane, of Richmond,
and Bishop Ireland, of st. Paul, who are
both friendly to the knights and who are
recognized at Rome as representing tho
more progressive element In the American
hierarchy, are with Cardinal Gibbons to
support him in the position which he takes.
Cardinal Gibbons is in position to speak
more intelligently of the principles of the
knights than any other churchman. Before
leaving for Rome he carefully examined the
manual of the order. He also held long
conference with Master Workman Pow
derby, whom he regards as devout and
and conservative Catholic. His present
position is the result of his investigation.
1t is said in clerical circles that the knights
had powerful enemies within the Vatican.
Many of the Cardinals thought the order to
be of a character similar to the secret So
cieties of Italy and SPAN, and opposed it
for that reason.
The following IS the CARDINALS letter to
the Propaganda:
To His Eminence, Cardinal Simeoni Project of
the Holy Congregation of the Propaganda:
YOUR EMINENCE-In submitting to the Holy
See the conclusions which after several months
OF observation and deep reflection, seem to me
to sum up the question of the association Of the
knights of Labor, l am strongly convinced OF
the vast Importance of this question, which
forms but one ring in the great chain of the So
cial problem of our day, and especially OF our
country. In judging this question have taken
great care to use as my constant guide the spirit
of the encyclicals in which our Holy Father,
Pope Leo KILL has so admirably exposed the
dangers of our time and their remedies, and has
explained the principles by. which we shall be
guided in distinguishing the associations con-
demned by the Holy See. Such also, were the
guides of the third Plenary Council of Baltimore
in its teachings about the principle to be fol-
lowed and the dangers to be avoided by the
faithful in the formation OF associations toward
which the spirit OF our popular institutions SO
strongly impels. Considering the fatal conse-
quences that might result through an error in
the treatment OF the organizations, which often
count their numbers by thousands and hundreds
of thousands, the council wisely ordered that
when an association has spread into several
dioceses, no single Bishop of those dioceses may
condemn it, but must refer the case to the per
manent commission of all the Archbishops of
the United States, who in their turn are not
authorized to issue condemnation, unless their
decision is unanimous, and in default of such
unanimity only the Holy See itself can impose
such condemnation, so that error and con-
fusion in ecclesiastical discipline can be avoided.
The commission of ArchbiShopS met toward
the end of the month of October last to espe-
cially consider the association of the knights
of Labor. We were not led to hold this meet
ing by any request on the part OF the Bishops
for none of them did demand it, and it must be
added that of all the Bishops only two or three
were known to desire the condemnation. But
the Importance OF the question in itself, and in
the estimation of the Holy See, made US ex-
anime it with greatest care. After our discus
sion, the results of which have already been
communicated to the Holy Congregation Of the
Propaganda, only two out of twelve of the
Archbishops voted for the condemnation-that
is to say the Archbishop of st. Louis and the
Archbishop of Santa Fe who followed suit-for
reasons which in no way persuaded the others
either by the Justice or prudence of such con-
domination. In the considerations which follow
wish to give in detail the reasons which de-
termined the vote of the great majority of the
commission, the truth and force of which do not
seem to me less powerful to-day. At the same
time will try to do Justice to the arguments
advanced by the opposition party.
First-Although there may be found in the
constitution, the bylaws and official declaration
of the knights of Labor. certain assertions or
regulations which we might not approve, we
have not found therein the clements which the
Holy See so clearly designates as condemna-
tory, and the formula Of their organization con-
tains neither oath nor obligation which pre-
cludes those who do not belong to it, or even
their enemies from becoming acquainted
with their affairs. Catholics are not forbidden
to divulge everything to competent ecclesiastl-
cal authorities, even outside of the confessional.
This has been especially explained to us by their
officers, no promise OF blind obedience is re-
quired. The objects of the association and its
rules are well and distinctly established, and
the obligations of obedience do not trespass
their limits. Not only their object and their
rules are not hostile to religion or the church,
but the very contrary. The third Plenary Coun-
Gil forbids that we should condemn any associa-
ton without giving its officers or representa-
puis No. 254). Their Master Workman, in send
ing me copy of their constitution, took occa-
sion to say that he processes his religion faith
fully and receives the sacraments regularly;
that he belongs to no Masonic association or to
any other otherwise condemned by the church
that he knows Of nothing in the society of
the knights Of Labor contrary to regulation
of the church, and with tilial submission
he begs the pastors of the church to exam
inc all the details of their organization, and
says If they find therein anything reprehensbe
to point them out and he will faithfully promise
to have the proper notifications made. AS
suredly this does not look like hostility toward
the authority of the church, but, on the contra
~, a perfectly laudaby spirit.
After their convention in Richmond last year
many of their most jealous officers and Catho-
lie members made the same declarations re.
garding their sentiments. AS for the proceed
ings of the convention themselves (Which we
expect soon to receive) we can no more find
therein any hostility to the church or to the laws
regulations contain nothing Of the sort, but the
heads of our civil authorities treat them and the
cause they represent with the greatest respect
The President of the United States told me
personally, month ago, that he had then un
der consideration law tending to remedy Ger
tain social grievances. and that he had just had
conference with Mr. Powderly, the General
Master Workman OF the knights of Labor or
the subject. The Congress Of the United
States, following the advice Of the President, is
now considering measures leading to ameliorate
the condition of tho working class, the foupda
ton for many of whose complaints is openly
acknowledged. And the political parties, far
from looking upon them Us enemies of the coun
try, vie with each other to obtain for them the
rights they are so clearly entitled to, for it is
fact well known that the poor toilers have nc
inclination to resist or break the laws of the
land If but simply to obtain equitable legisla
ton by constitutional and legitimate means
And those considerations, which show that the
organization does not contain any Of the ele
ments which the Holy See condemns, bring III
face to face with the evils the society is com
batting and the real nature ofthe conflict. There
exist in our country. as in all others, socia
grievances which are grave and menacng, pub
lie injustices which alike require firm resist
ance and legal remedies, all of which mont
would gainsay and the truth of which has al
ready been admitted by Congress and the Presi
dent OF the United States.
Without entering into the painful details o
those wrongs-the present occasion not requir
ing lit viii suffice TO mention the fact tina